Monarda plant named ‘Pardon My Pink’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of ornamental cultivar of ornamental Bee Balm named  Monarda didyma  ‘Pardon My Pink’ has very short, compact, branching stems, medium to dark green foliage, numerous medium fuchsia-pink flowers and resistance to powdery mildew.

Botanical classification: Monarda didyma.

Variety denomination: ‘Pardon My Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of BeeBalm, botanically known as Monarda didyma ‘Pardon My Pink’, andhereinafter also referred to solely as the cultivar ‘Pardon My Pink’ orthe “new plant”. The new plant was hybridized in July of 2006 andseparated out for further evaluation in the summer of 2007 by Kevin A.Hurd in the trial gardens fields of a Zeeland, Mich., USA, as a plannedlinear hybrid cross #06-01 between Monarda didyma ‘ACrade’ U.S. PlantPat. No. 19,580 more commonly known as ‘Grand Parade’ as the female orseed parent and Monarda didyma ‘AChall’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,582 morecommonly known as ‘Grand Marshall’ as the male or pollen parent. Theplant has been asexually propagated by stem cuttings at the same nurseryin the greenhouses in Zeeland, Mich., and the subsequent asexuallypropagated plants found to be stable and identical to the originalselection.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PLANT

Monarda didyma ‘Pardon My Pink’ is unique from its parents and all otherBee Balm plants known to the inventor. The nearest comparison varietiesare the two parents, ‘Pardon My Purple’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,170,‘Pink Supreme’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,204 and ‘Pink Lace’ U.S. PlantPat. No. 18,367. ‘Pink Supreme’, ‘Pink Lace’ and ‘Grand Marshall’ areall redder in flower color. ‘Grand Parade’ is more violet, and alongwith ‘Pardon My Purple’ and ‘Grand Marshall’ are all much darker inflower pigment. Height-wise, ‘Pink Supreme’ is about 60 cm, ‘Pink Lace’and ‘Grand Marshall’ about 45 cm, ‘Grand Parade’ about 40 cm and ‘PardonMy Purple’ about 30 cm while ‘Pardon My Pink’ is about 28 cm tall inflower.

The following are traits of Monarda didyma ‘Pardon My Pink’ that incombination distinguish it from all other Bee Balm known to theinventor:

-   -   1. Very short, winter-hardy, clumping habit.    -   2. Medium to dark-green powdery mildew resistant foliage.    -   3. Compact medium fuchsia-pink flowers for a long period in        summer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the unique traits of‘Pardon My Pink’ and the overall appearance of the plant at two-yearsold in the full sun trial garden of a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. Thecolors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions.Variation in ambient light spectrum, source and direction may cause theappearance of minor variation in color.

FIG. 1 shows the new plant in flower.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. Monarda didyma ‘Pardon My Pink’ hasnot been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype mayvary slightly with different growing environments such as temperature,light, fertility, soil pH, moisture and maturity levels, but without anychange in the genotype. The following observations and size descriptionsare based on two-year old greenhouse-grown plants in gallon containersat a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental fertilizer and water asneeded but without plant growth regulators or pinching.

-   Botanical classification: Monarda didyma.-   Parentage: Female (seed) parent is Monarda didyma ‘ACrade’ U.S.    Plant Pat. No. 19,580; male (pollen) parent is Monarda didyma    ‘AChall’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,582.-   Plant habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial, compact, producing several    stems spreading by rhizomes; 24 to 28 cm tall at flowering and 35 to    50 cm wide; flowering begins mid-summer in Michigan and continuing    for about 5 to 8 weeks.-   Propagation: Stem cuttings.-   Time to produce finished crop in 3.8 liter pots: About 8 to 10    weeks; moderate rate of growth.-   Root: Fine, fibrous and freely branching; color creamy white to tan    depending on soil type.-   Leaves: Simple, lanceolate, opposite, serrated, puberulent above and    below; lustrous above, semi-lustrous to matte below; acute apex,    ovate to rounded base; 4.5 to 8.0 cm long by 3.0 to 3.5 cm wide,    average about 7.0 cm long and 3.2 cm wide; young leaves nearest RHS    137C on top, between RHS 146B and RHS 138B below; older leaves    between RHS 139A and RHS 137A.-   Foliage fragrance: Pleasantly lemony.-   Veins: Pinnate; pubescent below with minute puberulent above,    slightly sunken above and raised below.-   Vein color: Above midrib nearest RHS 138C, center portion of lateral    veins nearest RHS 135A above with distal vein portion nearest RHS    137A; underneath midrib between RHS 147C and RHS 147D with lateral    veins nearest RHS 147C blending to between RHS 146B and RHS 138B on    perimeter.-   Petiole: Pubescent, slightly concaved above, about 10.0 mm long and    2.0 mm across; nearest RHS 147D above and nearest RHS 147C    underneath.-   Stems: Squared, puberulent, densely pubescent at nodes; about 3.0 mm    across; nearest RHS 146B in upper portion with base portion between    RHS N187C and RHS N187B.-   Flowers: Single labiate flowers arranged in terminal globular head    about 7.0 cm across and 4.0 cm tall opening from the center and    progressing outwardly and down; persisting about 5 days in Michigan;    numerous, about 200 flowers per head.-   Flower fragrance: Moderately spicy.-   Buds one to two days prior to opening: Narrowly oblanceolate, curved    downward; about 2.2 cm long and 3 mm diameter; nearest RHS 61C in    distal one third with a lighter base of white, lighter than RHS    N155D or RHS 155D; younger bud color when just protruding beyond    sepals apex nearest RHS 145D.-   Petals: Labiate, curved downward; split in two in the distal 1.2 cm    with upper lip fused into a hood about 3.0 cm long and 2.5 mm    diameter; lower lip about 3.5 cm long comprising three lobes    including two side lobes about 1.0 mm long with rounded apex and    center lobe about 4.0 to 5.0 mm long split in the distal 1.0 mm;    both lobes glandular and pubescent outer surfaces with fine hairs    the same color as petals; both lobes glabrous on inner surfaces;    self-cleaning.-   Petal color: Color of all petals on both surfaces nearest RHS 61B    with basal 5.0 mm white, lighter than RHS 155D or RHS N155D.-   Filaments: Two, about 3.2 cm long by 0.5 mm diameter; lighter than    RHS N66D.-   Anther: Oblong elliptic, dorsifixed, longitudinal; 2.2 mm by 1.0 mm    nearest RHS 158A with longitudinal dehiscence line nearest RHS 187A.-   Pollen: Abundant, elliptic to globose, less than 0.1 mm;. nearest    RHS 15D.-   Pistil: One per flower.-   Style: About 3.8 cm by 0.25 mm; nearest RHS N155D with tinting    increasing at distal end to nearest RHS 61B.-   Stigma: Split in two in the distal 2.0 mm, 0.25 mm in diameter; RHS    64A.-   Ovary: 1.0 mm by 0.75 mm, between RHS 143D and RHS 144B.-   Sepals: Five, apiculate apex, base fused forming corolla about 9.0    mm long and 2.0 mm diameter; apex glandular and with minute hairs on    outer surface; sepal apical margin color nearest RHS 183A, distal    two thirds of outer corolla surface nearest RHS 138C with darker    veins of RHS 138A; proximal half of outer corolla surface lighter    than RHS 145D without stripes; inner surfaces same color as outer.-   Peduncle: Pubescent, stiff, strong, erect, squared to about 0.4 cm    across and 25 cm long; nearest RHS 138A; about 25 per plant;    naturally branched at nodes; average 2.0 cm between nodes; 11 to 13    nodes per stem.-   Fruit: Single nutlet, elliptical, about 1.0 mm long and 0.7 mm wide.-   Hardiness: The new plant grows best with plenty of moisture and    adequate drainage; hardy to at least from USDA zone 4 through 8.-   Disease and pest resistance: Demonstrated powdery mildew resistance    in side by side comparison at least equal that of ‘ACrade’ and    better than ‘AChall’ and ‘Pink Lace’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,367.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental Bee Balm plant,Monarda didyma ‘Pardon My Pink’, as herein described and illustrated,with very short compact habit, medium to dark green foliage, numerousmedium fuchsia-pink flowers and resistance to powdery mildew especiallysuitable as a potted plant, for the garden, patio, and for cut flowerarrangements.